Pretty Cool
by DeathTheKidetteInConverse
Summary: Dave Strider was a very cool guy. Cool guys did not go to silly school Valentine's Day dances. Cool guys did not pass out stupid Valentines to their classmates. Cool guys certainly did not develop huge crushes on one of their best friends. But Dave Strider was hopelessly in love with his best friend's sister.
1. Day 1: Silly School Dances

Author's Notes: I finally got around to publishing my first Homestuck fic! Yay! *triumphant trumpet noises* Alright, alright, enough. *waves for trumpets to stop* It takes place in an alternate universe where all of the trolls and the Homestuck kids are in high school. This is based on the Dave/Jade pairing with hints of John/Vriska, Karkat/Terezi, Tavros/Kanaya, Sollux/Aradia, and Eridan's huge, unreturned crush on Rose.

Homestuck isn't mine. However, I suffer from a serious case of Homestuckititus, which is a terrible disease in which the victim longs to own the Homestuck plot, cannot stop reading it, and is completely, entirely addicted to Homestuck. Writing fanfictions about Homestuck is the only temporary pacifier of this terrible disease.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LYSSIE! Yes, this is for you. For your birthday. Yep. I love you, too. *smirks* Would you like your present now? Okay! I'll fetch it… *smiles evilly* I embarrassed Dave Strider, put him in a box, and tied that box up with a big teal bow for you! PSYCH! You really didn't think I'd put poor Dave through all that torture for you did I? Oh… You did? Oh… Well how about I write a whole story about him for you? Will that compensate? Okay, I really need to stop talking to you like you're right next to me. Which you aren't. You're far off in a place called Disney World. Where your dreams are coming tru– OKAY! Let's get on with it, shall we? *looking embarrassed, I jump into the box along with Dave*

*pops out of the box for a moment* Andrew Hussie… golly, my world would be so much more tolerable if Homestuck was mine, so can I ha– okay, sorry. I won't ask for it again. *gulp*

**Day 1: Silly School Dances**

Dave Strider was a very cool guy.

Cool guys did not go to silly school Valentine's Day dances. Cool guys did not pass out stupid Valentines to their classmates. Cool guys certainly did not develop huge crushes on one of their best friends.

But Dave Strider was hopelessly in love with his best friend's sister.

* * *

"Let's go, Dave," John Egbert called to his best friend. "Let's grab some lunch!"

"Sure, that sounds cool," replied Dave, adjusting his shades. He followed John into the school's cafeteria.

"There they are," said John, pointing at two girls waving them over. Dave recognized them as Rose Lalonde and Jade Harley. Rose was Dave's sister and Jade was John's sister.

"Hello," said Rose simply, sipping some of her water.

"Hey Dave! How was your day?" gushed Jade. _Damn, she's so cute_, said something in Dave's brain. _Shut up_, Dave told it immediately.

"Uh, fine I guess," said Dave in a bored tone, grabbing his water and downing some quickly to avoid any further discussion with Jade. Cool guys weren't supposed to talk to nerdy chicks like her. Dave reminded himself that Jade had buckteeth, huge glasses, and messy hair. But a small part of Dave couldn't help thinking she was cute.

"Oh," said Jade quietly. Dave wasn't sure if he'd heard right, but did he catch a hint of disappointment in her voice? "Uh, okay," she said quickly, averting her eyes from Dave. "So John, how was your day?" she asked her brother.

"It was alright," he responded. "My math class sucked, though."

As the teens' lunch period continued, Rose, John, and Jade began conversing about small, meaningless topics such as the weather and their overload of homework while Dave just sat there emotionlessly, trying to look cool. He couldn't help but notice that Jade wouldn't look him in the eye after their brief exchange. He wondered why. He hadn't said anything wrong to her, had he? He started panicking internally before remembering that he wasn't supposed to care about what she thought of him.

"What about you, Dave?" Rose asked him.

"Huh?" he replied, snapping back into reality.

"Were you even listening to me?" Rose asked doubtfully.

"Guess not," he said. "Say it again?"

"We were talking about the Valentine's Day dance. You know, the one that's coming up in two days," she answered. "I was just asking you if you'd found a date yet."

"I told you I wasn't going," he answered tonelessly. "It ain't cool."

Rose rolled her eyes. "I was hoping you'd change your mind," she responded. "Jade and I both don't have anyone to take us to the dance, but we figured we'd go anyway. All of our friends will be there, so it'll still be fun."

Jade would be there? Dave's interest was caught. "I'll think about it," he replied.

Just then, the bell rang, signaling the end of their lunch period. Rose and Jade got up, shouldered their backpacks, and rid themselves of their lunch trays hurriedly. Their next class was at the other end of the school, so they had to leave soon or they'd be late.

As John and Dave got up to dump the remaining contents of their lunch trays into the garbage bins, John elbowed Dave to let him know he had something else to say. Dave turned to look at his friend.

"What?" he asked.

"You should go," said John. "I don't want to be the only sophomore guy at the dance." John had asked their friend Vriska, whom John had a huge crush on, to go to the dance with him, and she'd said yes. "It'll look weird. Plus, you're my best pal."

"I don't know," answered Dave. "It's not really cool."

"Are you sure there isn't a girl you like enough to take to the dance with you?" John asked.

"Uh…" Dave trailed off.

"You can tell me," John said, offended that Dave didn't trust him enough to tell him. "Unless you're too chicken."

"Okay fine, so what if I like someone?!" Dave sputtered, his cheeks slightly coloring. "But if I told you who it was, you'd kill me."

John's expression turned deadly. He pointed a finger at Dave's face. "Hold it right there, Strider! Vriska belongs to _me_. _I _asked her out already. Okay? So back off!"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," answered Dave, holding his hands up submissively. "Cool it, bro. I'm not talking about your woman."

John reddened. "Oh," he said. "Then who _do_ you like?"

Dave turned away from his friend. "Seeing as how you just almost killed me when you thought I wanted Vriska, I don't think it's the best idea for me to tell you who I like."

"Sorry about that, bro," John said. "It's just that it took so much guts to ask Vriska out. I still can't believe she said yes."

"I know, man," answered Dave. There was an awkward pause.

"So are you gonna tell me?" asked John.

"Promise you won't murder me?" Dave joked.

"Okay, okay, I promise," said John. "Just tell me already!"

Dave took a deep breath. "Okay, there's a very small possibility that I might happen to sort of like… uh, Harley…?" he rubbed the back of his neck embarrassedly.

"What did you say?!" John exclaimed.

"You said you wouldn't murder me!" Dave reminded him.

"Harley as in my _sister_ Harley?" John fumed.

"It's not like I'm gonna ask her to the dance or anything…" Dave mumbled.

John looked as mad as a raging hornet for a minute, but eventually, his face softened. He sighed. "Okay Dave. _Just_ 'cause you're my best bro, I trust you with my sister. Don't try anything on her, 'cause I'll be watching you like a hawk. And if you do pull anything, you won't wanna ever see my face again!" With that pleasant thought, John turned and left for class.

Dave shook his head. "Why does everyone around here keep forgetting that I haven't even agreed to definitely go to that stupid school dance, dammit?!" he mumbled. "Whatever," he sighed, turning to leave for class.


	2. Day 2: Stupid Valentines

Author's Notes: Woot woot! Second chapter! *awkward silence* I don't think I have anything really left to say. *shrugs*

Fur Elise (or Fur Alyssa, either one works): _Happppppy Birrrrthday tooo yoouuuuuu!_ _Ha–_ And that is all you are getting, Lys. I'm not gonna sing for you. I already gave you Dave Strider. He'll sing – er, rap for you. What more do you want?! Wait… disregard. I know. You want Dirk, too. Grr…

**Day 2: Stupid Valentines**

"No. Big fat no," Dave said to no one in particular. "I am _not_ passing out those stupid little Valentines. How pathetic and uncool!"

Dave's homeroom teacher had just brought up the issue of passing out cards and goodies on Valentine's Day, which was the next day. The teacher was allowing them to use their homeroom period to pass out their notes and sweets as long as they were appropriate, but Dave was having none of it. He was not going to pass out mushy notes to kids he didn't even know. What was this, third grade? He sighed.

Rose elbowed him. "It is rude to say things like that," she scolded her brother. "Some people enjoy doing things like that on Valentine's Day."

Dave smirked. "Well, some people get offended easily. I ain't doin' that shit."

Rose sighed. "Please just keep your opinions to yourself."

* * *

After the bell rang, Dave went to his locker to grab his books. He passed friends in the hallway, slapped backs, and threw high-fives. Everyone knew Dave. Dave was cool.

Dave retrieved his books from his locker and turned his combination to its locking mode. He shoved his schoolbooks in his backpack and slung it over his shoulder. As Dave turned to leave, he happened to look to the left side of the hallway, which was nearly empty except for Jade. She appeared to be struggling with putting her books away in her locker.

Somehow, Dave found himself standing awkwardly by her locker. At first, Jade didn't notice him.

"Where the heck is that darn folder?" Jade muttered to herself, rifling through her books and folders frantically. "I know it's in here somewhere!"

Suddenly, all of Jade's books and folders went flying out of her locker and onto the ground.

"Crap!" Jade said angrily.

"Yo," said Dave, leaning against the locker next to hers.

"Oh! Uh, Dave! Hi!" Jade said a bit too brightly, temporarily forgetting about the problem. Then, she realized that she had kind of made an idiot of herself in front of Dave. She began blushing furiously and knelt down in the midst of all of her papers and books that were scattered across the floor.

"What's happenin'?" Jade asked Dave, trying to seem casual.

Dave smirked. Her failed attempts at being cool were really adorable to him.

"Need some help?" Dave asked her.

"I, er…" She ducked her head. "Um, yeah, that'd be great."

Dave knelt down next to her and began piling up the papers and books that had fallen out of her locker.

Eventually all of the folders had been retrieved. Jade looked really upset.

"Darn it!" she said in a frustrated tone.

"What's up?" Dave asked her.

"That one folder! I still can't find it!" she sighed. "It had all my homework in it. What will I do?!"

Dave shrugged. He was about to make some clever comment like "I have no idea" when a flash of red caught his eye. He turned to the left to look and see what it was. He realized that it was a folder.

He got up to fetch it and walked back to Jade. "This your folder?" he asked her.

Jade's eyes widened. "Oh my gosh! YES!"

Dave tossed it at her. "Cool," he said.

Jade stuffed the folder in her backpack and stood up. "Thank you so much, Dave!" she thanked him.

Dave shrugged. "No big deal," he said.

Dave and Jade stood there awkwardly in the middle of the hall. Neither of them knew how to end the conversation, but both teens had to leave. Secretly, neither of them wanted to.

It was Jade who spoke up first. "Well, I'd better get going! I guess I'll see you tomorrow then, Dave." She inhaled sharply and closed her tightly eyes like she was debating whether or not to do something, then she suddenly stood up her tiptoes and kissed Dave's cheek. She turned bright red and started walking briskly down the hallway, her books clutched tightly to her chest.

Dave's eyes widened beneath his huge black shades. He slowly reached up to touch the spot on his cheek where Jade had kissed him. Dave would never admit it, but there were fireworks going off inside of him. He stood there grinning stupidly watching her disappear down the hallway.

Suddenly, a hand grabbed Dave's shoulder from behind him.

"Well, would ya look at that," said the hand's owner teasingly. "Thomebody theems to have a huuuuge cruthh on hith betht friend'th little thithter."

"First of all, quit thpitting all over me, Thollux," Dave said, shoving his friend Sollux's hand off of his shoulder and mocking his friend's lisp. "And second of all, that is _not_ true about Jade!" But Dave's bright red cheeks proved otherwise.

"Hehehe!" giggled Dave's blind friend, Terezi. She sniffed the air happily as if there were a fresh-baked chocolate cake in front of her face. "You smell so good!" Terezi was a very odd girl who claimed she could smell colors.

"Terezi!" scolded an angry voice. Dave turned around to see Terezi's grumpy boyfriend, Karkat, looking very displeased. "Stop flirting with Strider!"

Terezi laughed again. "Oh, Karkles! Honestly!"

Karkat stiffened. "Don't you dare call me that!" he warned dangerously.

Terezi ignored him. "I could smell Dave blushing, Karkles. It was red. Candy red. Just like your blush when you get all embarrassed or worked up over something!"

"Oh, shut up!" growled Karkat, who was indeed blushing bright red. He balled up his fists and barked, "Sollux! Let's go!" The two boys turned and left Dave and Terezi alone in the hallway.

Terezi smiled. "You really should ask Jade to go to the dance with you, Dave," she advised her friend. "I think she really likes you! And I daresay you are pretty flushed for her, too!"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, whatever," said Dave, waving his hand dismissively, even though Terezi couldn't see it.

"You totally want to!" Terezi insisted.

Dave blushed again. This was answer enough for Terezi. She might not've been able to see, but she could smell Dave's flaming red cheeks and felt his discomfort.

"Okay, well I have to go, Terezi," Dave said, clearing his throat and turning around. "Catch ya later, I guess." He started swiftly walking away. After a few seconds, Terezi heard a door open and shut.

Terezi chuckled to herself. "I love red!" she said to no one in particular. "It's such a lovely color! And it's quite festive, too."


	3. Day 3: Huge Crushes

Author's Notes: Hi there! If you stuck with me through the whole story, I love you. So much. So very much. So could ya just stick with me through one more chappy? Just one? All will be revealed. All! *coughs* I mean, yeah, this is where all the shit goes down. In a good way, of course. ;)

By the way, if you are the birthday girl herself, then this message is for you. I hope this was an okay present, Lys. I really do. You're my bestestestest buddy ever! Heck, you're mah sister! :D Sooooo happy birthday! *thinks for a second* Oh! And Karkat loves you… xD

**Day 3: Huge Crushes**

On Valentine's Day evening, Dave Strider sat in his red sports car outside his high school gym, wondering how in the world his sister had actually convinced him to come to an uncool high school dance.

Dave slowly got out of his car and shut the door. He readjusted his dark sunglasses and then shoved his hands in his pockets. He quickly walked up to the door of the gym, which was decorated in corny construction paper hearts and crushed red streamers. If any of his friends ever saw him do this... Dave shuddered at the thought. He begrudgingly decided to enter the building. Might as well get it over with.

Dave looked around the room, trying to locate his friends. He immediately noticed Karkat, who was comically pulling Terezi around on the dance floor impatiently while she laughed maniacally. Eridan was relentlessly chasing Rose around, trying to convince her to dance with him, to which she kept declining. Sollux seemed to have dropped his teasing attitude and was dancing with his quiet and solemn girlfriend, Aradia. John and his new girlfriend Vriska, who was a notorious badass and a tomboy, were comfortably chatting in the corner. The class clown, Gamzee, was chugging unhealthy amounts of soda and doing God knows what. Feferi, a rich girl who was always annoyingly cheerful, friendly, and quite clueless, was happily talking to a small girl whom Dave recognized as Nepeta. Nepeta was a flirty chick who had a major crush on Karkat. She was watching Karkat like a hawk and was obviously not listening to Feferi as she prattled away. Equius, a rude jock who was always sweating and bragging, was very unsuccessfully trying to flirt with some of the other girls in the room. Karkat's best friend Kanaya, a beautiful, proper, and fashionable girl, was resting her gloved arm on the back of her boyfriend's wheelchair. Tavros, who was her boyfriend, smiled happily up at her and said something that made her blush and kiss his forehead.

Dave's eyes wandered over to another area of the room. Where was Jade? Didn't Rose say that Jade would be here? God, he would kill Rose if she'd gotten him all dressed up to go to the stupid dance and have him embarrass himself all for nothing. No, not nothing. All for Jade. But Jade wasn't here, so that didn't matter. He was thinking about leaving, when he saw her.

Dave's jaw dropped. Jade looked amazing. Her long, curly black hair cascaded down her back. Jade still wore her large circular glasses, but she looked far from nerdy. Her bright green eyes twinkled with excitement. She wore a strapless black dress that shimmered as though it had stars all over it. The skirt opened at her knees in a triangular design, exposing the bright green cloth underlying the black fabric of the dress. She wore laced-up combat boots. She was smiling cutely as she was watching some of the kids twirl around on the dance floor.

Dave walked up behind Jade and simply said, "Yo."

Jade jumped and turned to look at him. Her face flushed. "Oh, hey Dave." She started twisting her skirt nervously in her hands. "I-I wanted to say that I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable yeste–"

Dave's lips stopped Jade's sentence. She would never finish that sentence. She would never need to. Jade slowly closed her eyes and enjoyed the moment. As Dave pulled away, he whispered, "I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable just then." He grinned at her.

Jade stared at the floor shyly. "Of course not, Dave," she answered him. "That was really amazing..."

Dave looked away. "Yup."

Jade smirked. "I've never seen you so dressed up before!" She took in his attire. He was wearing a black suit, a red tie, a white button-down that Dave had left unbuttoned at the top, and his red Converse hightops. Even his hair was combed back. And of course, Dave still wore his cool shades. In short, Dave looked really hot.

"Guess I am," he replied. He noticed that Jade was looking wistfully at all of the dancing couples. Dave sighed. He was already here. Why not? It wasn't like he could do anything more embarrassing.

"So," he began. "I'm guessing you wanna dance?"

Jade's face flooded with happiness. She nodded excitedly. She grabbed his hands and pulled him onto the dance floor.

Dave was surprised, but eventually he regained himself enough to take the lead. He wrapped his arms around her waist as she draped her arms around his neck. They swayed slowly for a little while.

"Yo," Dave spoke up.

"Hmm?" murmured Jade, resting her head on his chest.

"You're a really cool girl, you know that?" said Dave.

"Gee, thanks Dave!" she responded happily.

Dave took in the excitement and admiration on Jade's pretty face. He decided that it had been worth it, after all, to come here. He'd finally gotten the courage to talk to her, compliment her, and ask her to dance with him. Hell, he'd even kissed the girl. Dave thought for a moment. He'd been wrong. Jade wasn't nerdy at all. She was pretty, smart, and sweet. And just as he'd told her a moment ago, she _was_ really cool. It felt nice, Dave decided, to be with the person you loved. It wasn't stupid. It was pretty cool.


End file.
